Who Sent the Ants?

Some friends of mine decided to sell their house, and found a buyer. On the day before the sale was to close, they walked into their living room to find a wall covered with carpenter ants. The couple had never seen such ants in the house before, and had no idea where they came from. In integrity, they disclosed the discovery to the buyer, who cancelled the sale. At that point my friends realized they did not really want to sell the house, and they kept it. The next day the ants disappeared and they never saw them again. That was 20 years ago. They are still living in the house and loving it.

The ants were dispatched by a brilliant creative organization called the “C.C.C.C.”—the Cosmic Coincidence Control Center. This is the agency behind synchronicity, a term coined by psychologist Carl Jung, indicating “a meaningful coincidence.” Jung defined the principle after he conducted a psychotherapy session with a woman who reported she had had a dream of a golden scarab (beetle). At that very moment a golden scarab flew into the room, capturing Jung’s attention and the patient’s. That type of beetle was very rare in that region, and it was out of season. The chances of such an insect entering that space at the precise moment they were discussing it were infinitesimal.

Image courtesy of Yongkiet at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Synchronicity is always working on our behalf, but we are only occasionally aware of it. We cannot plan synchronicities; we just need to get clear on our intention and then be open to signs and guidance. A happy-looking couple came to me after a lecture. “I was seeking my soulmate,” the fellow told me, “and then I fell into a coma. When I awoke in the hospital, I looked up to see the most beautiful angel looking down at me. She turned out to be a nurse, and I married her.”

You do not need to create a coma or some dramatic circumstance to meet your life partner or fulfill your dream. When you are relaxed, open, and in the flow of life, synchronicities show up gently, easily, and joyfully. The wisdom of benevolence is working 24/7 to help us receive the good we desire and deserve. Its ability to find and serve us depends on our willingness and openness to receive blessings.

If something matches you and belongs to you, it will find you by right of your consciousness. When I visited Japan I met a radiant healer named Shinichiro Terayama, who years earlier had healed himself of a disease that doctors said would cause him to die. Shin decided to simply practice gratitude and just be happy, and the disease departed. After that he became a well-known and beloved healer. He is recognizable by his shiny bald head, gray beard, and the cello he totes to musical engagements. Shin’s bright energy made in impression on me and I wanted to see him again.

A week later I was passing through Shinagawa Station, one of the most crowded terminals in a city of nearly 14 million people. Then I saw a familiar bald head and encased cello coming my way. It was Shin. I was stunned to run into one of the few people I knew in all of Japan, the one I wanted to see the most. The C.C.C.C. strikes again!

A young woman at a seminar nervously asked, “What if I am here in North Carolina and my soulmate is in California? How will we ever meet?” I told her, “Synchronicity and the Law of Attraction are not impeded by geography. The universe can overcome any seeming obstacle to join people who belong together.”

Just out of college, I saw an ad for my ideal job as the director of a municipal youth guidance center. I barged into the township supervisor’s office and applied for the job. A conservative fellow, the supervisor told me he disagreed with everything I said. I figured I had lost the job and I forgot about it.

A month later I received a call from his secretary informing me of a second interview with the board of directors, who hired me over another candidate by a vote of 5-4. I went on to enjoy years of reward in that position, helping lots of teens get a direction in life. I and that job were a perfect match, and, in spite of my doubts and fears, the universe lined me up with it.

What seems to be working against you may be working for you. Only the ego judges and interprets against one’s self. The Higher Mind recognizes that all events fit into the big picture of Benevolution. When things seem to be going wrong, ask “How might they be going right?”

Quit trying to organize and micromanage your destiny, which is already being handled by a Mind that sees far beyond the human intellect. Someone gave me a coffee mug with the motto, “Relax. God is in charge.” We need to trust that all events have the potential to lead us where we want or need to go, and surprise ants may be dispatched by angels.

Alan Cohen is the author the bestselling A Course in Miracles Made Easy: Mastering the Journey from Fear to Love. Become a certified professional life coach though Alan’s upcoming transformational Life Coach Training. For more information about this program, his books and videos, free daily inspirational quotes, online courses, and weekly radio show, visit www.alancohen.com.